Tutorial: Fabric Flower Pin (part 1)

Just imagine getting a handmade gift: lovingly wrapped in pretty recycled paper with oodles of ribbons, and rather than a store-bought bow on top- a gorgeous fabric flower. Imagine that the flower is a gift in itself: it's really a brooch and wearable. It will spruce up a boring outfit, perk up a purse, or pinned to a ribbon it can be worn as a choker, wrist-let, or hair band. Now, set your sighs aside because we are not dealing in "what if's" or "maybe someday's." Nope, not us. We are going to make this possible!

I present to you this handy-dandy, easy-as-pie tutorial, in two parts, so you can make as many of these as you want. Or can stand, as the case may be.

Fabric Flower Pin

tutorial part 1

For this project, you will need:

• Fabric. The amount of fabric you will need will depend entirely on the size of your finished product. For this project I am using 2 quarter yard pieces (either fat or standard cut) of a standard-weight cotton. Feel free to branch out and try felt, velvet, taffeta, lace, or even pleather!
• round template (I used a cereal bowl)
• smaller round template (I used a juice glass)
• button of your choice (not pictured)
  
• pen, marker, or pencil
  
• thread (not pictured)
• needle (not pictured)
• scissors
• sewing pins
  
• safety pin or some other form of pin back
  
• iron and ironing board (not pictured)

Step 1: Identify which fabric you would prefer to use as the main fabric, and which you would prefer to use as the contrast. On the main fabric, carefully trace 6 circles using the round template and 1 circle using the smaller round template. On the contrast fabric, carefully trace 5 circles using the smaller round template. Cut all circles out.

Easy summary: 6 big and 1 little of the main fabric, 5 little of the contrast fabric.

Step 2: Get out the iron! Be extra careful not to pull on the fabric while gliding the iron over it, or it may stretch the circles out of shape. Watch out for your fingers if you are using a steam iron- steam burns! Select 5 of the large circles in the main fabric and all 5 of the smaller circles in the contrast fabric.

Pick one, any one. Iron it in half, making a half moon shape. Be sure you fold the wrong side of fabric in, and keep the prettier right side of the fabric on the outside where you can see it. Next, iron it in half again making a quarter moon shape. Since all "sides" are the right side, it doesn't matter which way you fold the quarter moon. Done. Repeat this for the other 9. Simple, yes?

You should have now have these pieces:

Step 3: You will use the two remaining circles (1 big and 1 small in the main fabric) to make yo-yo's. There is the "perfect circle" method of making pristine yo-yo's, or you can do the fast and easy "get-er-dun" method. Which is obviously the one I use. It's yo-yo, not a life-long commitment.

Yo-yo step 1: Thread needle and tie the thread end in sturdy knot. Place the fabric circle in front of you with the wrong side up. Gently fold over the edge of the circle about 1/8"(1/2 cm). Use the needle to stitch the folded-over flap down to the base. You do not have to have perfect, even stitches. You want to make a gathering stitch- which is a very basic "in and out" stitch. If the yo-yo starts to pucker it is ok. You are going to make it pucker soon anyway. Also don't worry about any folds or pleats- just sew right over them and keep on going. Stitch all the way around the circle, but do NOT knot it when you get to the end.

don't forget you can click on these images for a 'zoom' look.

Yo-yo step 2: You are now going to turn your circle into a sack. Gently pull on the thread while pushing on the fabric in the opposite direction. When the circle has puckered into a sack carefully knot the thread to hold it all in place. Cut off excessive thread.

Yo-yo step 3: The sack is now going to turn into a proper yo-yo. Place it in front of you with the loose sack bit on the bottom, and the round opening on the top- just like you would place a normal sack full of goodies on your kitchen counter. Use your finger to push the gathered sack mouth straight down towards the bottom of the sack. The gathered edge will rotate slightly towards the center automatically. On the smaller yo-yo, this can be a bit fiddly so you may need to push and tug very gently (don't snap the thread!) to get it in place. Once in the right shape (with the cute belly button in the middle) iron it to set it.

Yo-yo step 4: repeat steps 1-3 with the other circle. You will now have two yo-yo's completed.

Step 4: Select the larger of the two yo-yo's. This is going to be the back of our fabric flower, and needs a pin so you can wear it. Sew the pin to the back (non-belly button side) of the yo-yo very securely. I guess you could use hot glue. I don't. I am a sewing snob and say "poo-poo" to hot glue.

You aren't supposed to notice I switched from a safety-pin to a standard pin back.

You are half-way done! The second part is here.